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Lars von Trier Reveals Chapters and a New Genre in 'Nymphomaniac'

File this under "WTF?" Or maybe just the "wait - is this really happening?" category. You can always expect something subversive when it comes to Danish filmmaker Lars von Trier, even though his mouth has been taped shut for two years. A press release has been sent out today highlighting the beginning of von Trier's six month marketing/publicity campaign for Nymphomaniac, which begins with a look at the "chapters" in the two-part sex drama starring Charlotte Gainsbourg. "The film speaks for itself" they say, but one part talks about how von Trier "wants to introduce a new film genre: Digressionism." He might just pull it off.

This latest update and the images come from The Film Stage / The Playlist where they've been following this project very closely. The end of the press release states that June 28th, four weeks from now, is when we'll see the first Nymphomaniac teaser trailer, but in the meantime, these chapters and their titles should keep us satiated. Here's a look at the "album artwork"-style official chapter listing for the upcoming indie film:

In regards to that new genre LVT is creating, here is the full text containing the vague description and explanation behind the introduction of the "digressionism" genre. In the definition of "depart from the main subject" does that mean these chapters will drift off and focus on other characters besides Gainsbourg's Joe before eventually returning back to her? Only time will tell, but I'm very curious to find out what it means.

In 2011 Lars von Trier decided to refrain from all public statements and interviews. To this date he has kept his word.

But his stories are still being told worldwide and Nymphomaniac will be no exception.

Using a structure known from literature Nymphomaniac consists of chapters, encapsulating both VOLUME I and VOLUME II and during the next eight months, starting from June and like domino pieces counting down to the release, small bites of these chapters will be published exclusively by a community of selected newspapers around the world.

Each chapter teaser is defined by a headline, a still and a short narrative that playfully unveils the multilayered universe of Nymphomaniac with which Lars von Trier wants to introduce a new film genre: Digressionism.

[Digress /dɪˈgrɛs, daɪ-/ verb: Depart from the main subject]

Chapter 1 is The Complete AnglerChapter 2 is JeromeChapter 3 is Mrs. HChapter 4 is DeliriumChapter 5 is The Little Organ SchoolChapter 6 is The Eastern & Western Church (The Silent Duck)Chapter 7 is The MirrorChapter 8 is The Gun

Check back June 28th, when we expect the first teaser to be revealed. In the meantime, see a press still of our director with his mouth taped shut below, since "the film speaks for itself."

So, there you have it. Stay tuned for the first teasers and trailers once they start to arrive later this summer.

Originally, Lars von Trier was planning to split this Nymphomaniac epic sexual adventure into two films, shooting a "softer and more explicit version of each." French-English actress Charlotte Gainsbourg, who appeared explicitly in von Trier's Antichrist a few years ago, will play Joe, as the story is about her "hidden erotic desires" and spans her life story from a young age to age 50. Beyond Gainsbourg, the cast includes Stellan Skarsgard, likely Willem Dafoe, Jamie Bell and Uma Thurman in there, and Shia LaBeouf, too. Shooting finished last year, and Lars von Trier is currently editing and finalizing the film. Nymphomaniac will likely premiere at the fall festivals (Venice & Toronto) before opening in Denmark on December 25th.

He's definitely not for everyone, but if you can get passed some of the strangeness in his films, you are rewarded with some of the most beautifully told stories on the screen today. Even though, I don't like everything he's done, I wish there were more filmmakers like him.

Charles on Jun 1, 2013

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There are. Check out the guy who directed that documentary "Overnight". His name is actually Tony Montana (by birth) and he goes to these smart, dark, humorous and memorable places much the same way LVT does.